Robert Waddell grew up among the hardwoods of the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. Learning basic woodworking skills in junior high and high school, he later used those skills working in a furniture factory to help pay for college. After school came marriage, a family and many other interests.

As the years passed, woodworking evolved into a hobby and then a part-time business. Today, Robert works full-time in his studio, creating functional wood art, gifts and furniture enjoyed by people around the globe.